TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL REPORT City of Tempe ULI AzTAP
June 2019
Contents 8 About the Smith Innovation Hub 10 Process and Assignment 11 Stakeholder Input 14 Panel Discussion Overview
Planning & Design... Finding the “Place”
Building Market Potential
Transportation and Connectivity
Finance and Incentives
Priorities and Next Steps 28 About the Panel 32 Appendix ULI Arizona District Council
The Urban Land Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and education organization supported by its members. Founded in 1936, the Institute has members in 95 countries worldwide, representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines working in private enterprise and public service. The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. The ULI Arizona District Council was formed in the early 1980s, as a direct response to the need for educational forums and events at a local level. ULI Arizona brings public and private sector leaders together to share and exchange ideas, information, and experiences to shape the way communities grow.
About ULI TAPs
The ULI Arizona Technical Assistance Panel (AzTAP) Program is a service offered by ULI Arizona to assist Arizona municipalities, counties, regions, and nonprofits in the preliminary study of complex land use planning, development, and redevelopment issues. Drawing from a seasoned professional membership base, AzTAPs provide objective and responsible guidance on a variety of land use and real estate strategic decisions ranging from site-specific projects to public policy questions. AzTAP was initiated by the ULI Arizona District Council in 2003 as an extension of the time-tested national ULI Advisory Services Program that was established in 1947 with proven success for its comprehensive, pragmatic approach to solving land use challenges. Technical assistance interdisciplinary panel teams are carefully chosen for their specific knowledge and the holistic lens that they provide to help resolve local issues. Communities gain valuable insight and direction from highly qualified industry professionals who volunteer their time. Professionals who bring their expertise to bear also receive an intimate understanding of the unique development opportunities and challenges facing communities. The interaction among panel experts, local communities, and residents strengthens the community fabric and builds opportunities for strong public and private sector collaboration to promote thriving Arizona communities. The focus and scope of issues defined by the local sponsoring community make each TAP unique, so the approach is intentionally flexible to tailor it to the specific needs presented. Past ULI Arizona TAP reports are available to view and download at www.arizona.uli.org. PANELISTS Steve Lindley Doug Craig, PLA, ASLA Mark Stratz Panel Moderator Vice President, RVi Planning + Senior Vice President + City Executive Director, Cushman Landscape Architecture Leader, Transwestern & Wakefield Kevin Olson Alisa Timm Mark Bauer Partner, Steptoe Regional Director of Managing Director and Management, Ryan Co-Leader, JLL Global Data Companies Michael Pfeffer, AIA Center Solutions Vice President of Architecture, Related Midwest Manjula Vaz Terry Benelli Member, Gammage & Executive Director, LISC Burnham Phoenix
AZTAP COMMITTEE Cameron Carter Tom Hester Candace Rasauro Partner, Rose Law Group Associate Vice President, Director, Jokake Construction Urban Design Director, Gulf/ George Cole Southwest Region, AECOM Lance Ross, Emeritus Director, Fennemore Craig, PC President, Ross Property Amy Malloy, Chair Advisors Doug Craig Managing Principal, Evolve Vice President, Ventures Hannah Sanders RVi Planning + Landscape Business Development, AME Architecture Chelsea McCaw Landscaping Planner, RVi Planning + Mark Davis, Vice Chair Landscape Architecture Judie Scalise Owner, 48 Development Principal, ESI Corporation Company Spalding Olmsted President/CEO, Kim Shapiro Leslie Dornfeld The Spalding Group Vice President, Skanska Principal, PLAN-et Debbie Parkins Meagan Snyder William Francis Business Development, Director of Business William Francis, RLA Western Technologies, Inc. Development, EPS Group Consultant Kelly Patton Jon Vlaming Angie Grendahl Senior Economic Development Community Development Retail Development Manager, Consultant, APS Director, City of Eloy Thompson Thrift Kate Perrin Brook Vink CJ Hager Consultant - Business Business Development Director, Community Health Development, Form Third Manager, Wood/Patel Policies, Vitalyst Health Foundation Michael Phalen Jacob Zonn, Vice Chair Partner, Lewis Roca Senior Planner, Tiffany & Rothberger Christie LLC Bosco, P.A.
5 City of Tempe A robust team of people were instrumental in making this AzTAP a success. ULI Arizona gratefully acknowledges the Tempe Economic Development Department as lead for this project in addition to the following individuals who serve the City of Tempe as professional staff for being superb partners and for their enthusiasm and commitment. ULI Arizona is grateful to the Tempe City Council for their dedication of leadership and support.
City of Tempe Council City of Tempe Staff
Mark Mitchell, Mayor Andrew Ching, City Manager Lauren Kuby, Vice Mayor Donna Kennedy, Economic Development Jennifer Adams, Councilmember Director Robin Arredondo-Savage, Councilmember Jill Buschbacher, Economic Development Program Manager Arlene Chin, Councilmember Maria Laughner, Economic Development Randy Keating, Councilmember Program Manager Joel Navarro, Councilmember Chad Weaver, Community Development Director Ryan Levesque, Deputy Community Development Director Ambika Adhikari, Principal Planner Shauna Warner, Neighborhood Services Director Robert Yabes, Transportation Principal Planner Vanessa Spartan-Platt, AICP, Transportation Planner Dr. Braden Kay, Sustainability Director
6 ULI AzTAP Tempe Focus:
Tempe has a vibrant and successful economy and employs innovative strategies to remain competitive. With low vacancy rates and high rents, the City is thoughtful with areas for redevelopment.
The Innovation Hub Initiative was approved by Tempe City Council on March 1, 2018. It is an economic development initiative to enhance key employment corridors to promote new investment, job creation, and placemaking that attracts and retains a quality workforce. Eight hubs were identified, and the Smith Industrial Innovation Hub was selected for the pilot project.
The ULI Arizona Technical Assistance Panel focused on the long-term (re) development prospects of the Smith Industrial Innovation Hub without compromising industrial land uses.
7 About the Smith Innovation Hub
The City of Tempe maintains its successful economy through creative strategies to compete as an education and technology center and a vibrant place to live. City officials understand that solving complex challenges now in its urban core are important to the community’s future resilience and quality of life. While the real estate market inTempe boasts low vacancy rates, the flipside is rents are on the rise. Through a number of targeted initiatives, the City is looking at ways to proactively address redevelopment through an innovation ecosystem designed to maintain affordability for local entrepreneurs and residents, multimodal transportation, seamless connectivity, and strong workforce talent On March 1st, 2018 Tempe City Council approved the Innovation Hub Initiative. Innovation Hubs are key employment corridors where the City will attract /grow employment, redevelopment, creativity, connectivity, and bring educators and businesses together to grow talent pipelines. With eight (8) Innovation Hubs identified in the community, the Smith Innovation Hub (SIH) is a pilot project area where the City will support density and urban mixed-use projects that include some residential. The SIH is approximately 302 acres (1/2 square mile) with mostly light industrial and office uses. It is bounded by Rio Salado Parkway, Loop 101, University Drive and McClintock Drive. It was selected for the pilot area because of its unique innovation ecosystem near current and planned transit investments, adjacency to the ASU Novus Innovation Corridor and other amenities, and variety of uses already in place. Most of the buildings were constructed between 1950 and 1970 and the area was known for industrial uses. Currently, SIH is comprised of 234 companies and 4,700 employees representing high-tech manufacturing, construction, transportation, distribution, consumer services (mainly
8 automotive), retail, and advanced business service sectors. More than a third of commercial space in the area is currently occupied with non-industrial retail and office users.
Four primary reasons the City chose the SIH for the pilot: 1. It is in an Opportunity Zone and has proximity to major redevelopment and investment with Rio 2100 under construction directly north of SIH bringing 4,000 new jobs, and ASU Novus Innovation Corridor redeveloping 335 acres to the west; 2. Its adjacency to the proposed Street Car alignment on the northern boundary connecting SIH to ASU’s Novus Innovation Hub, Downtown Tempe to the west and Mesa to the east; 3. Its ability to meet future need for more commercial space of all types in Tempe as vacancies vary between 4% and 8% citywide; and 4. Address the need for connectivity between area to the south, SIH, and Tempe Marketplace and create an innovation district described in Apache Character Area Plan.
The four main strategies the City is considering for the area as it redevelops over time: 1. Allow a larger variety of uses such as housing, retail, light industrial, office, etc. 2. Encourage more density and height creating additional available space for new residents and businesses; 3. Attract educational and training institutions to build the talent pipeline for area businesses in alignment with Tempe Achieves 65 workforce development goals 4. Apply for grants/identify City or other funding to enhance the area with gateway features, public art, green space, bike lanes, sidewalks/ streetscape. Known infrastructure issues to address within the project area mostly relate to road safety/walkability/ drainage. The area was originally a County island and was annexed by the City of Tempe between the 1950s The most current development activity in SIH includes a and 1990s. The area has not been brought up to current proposed eight (8) acre retail development on the south standards with respect to road maintenance and many side of Rio Salado Parkway, an approved two-story of the main areas lack sidewalks and proper drainage. light industrial building on 3rd Street for Precision Fleet Streetlight repairs are also needed. Current water and Services, and a new office building recently built on sewer capacity can accommodate redevelopment and Siesta Lane. new uses. 9 Process and Assignment
The ULI Arizona Technical Assistance Panel (AzTAP) was composed of real estate professionals, architects, designers, and finance and legal experts, all of whom brought a wide range of perspectives to the AzTAP assignment. The primary goal of the AzTAP was to develop recommendations that would provide the City of Tempe with a set of proposed next steps in its redevelopment efforts for the Smith Industrial Hub. The variety of skill sets and disciplines represented on the panel brought important market, economic, and design perspectives that inform recommendations and offer advice to the City. Over the course of several weeks, the ULI panelists reviewed City-prepared briefing materials, carried out stakeholder interviews, participated in a study area bus tour, and worked diligently on Panel Day answering key questions to brainstorm strategies to support the City’s efforts to revitalize the Smith Industrial area as an exciting hub of mixed use activity.
Panel discussion was guided by questions on the topics of:
• Planning & Design…Enhancing the “Place”
• Building Market Potential
• Transportation and Connectivity
• Finance & Incentive Strategies
• Priorities and Next Steps
City of Tempe Economic Development Leadership and AzTAP Panel April 5, 2019. From left to right: AzTAP Panelists – Steve Lindley, Alisa Timm, Mark Bauer, Terry Benelli, Kevin Olson, Manjuala Vaz, Mark Stratz, Doug Craig, Michael Pfeffer; and City of Tempe Economic Development Donna Kennedy and Jill Buschbacher.
10 Stakeholder Input
ULI AzTAP Committee members and panelists engaged with more than 20 stakeholders of the Smith Industrial Hub during scheduled interviews and a site tour. The stakeholders represented public and private interests, including City officials and staff, developers, business owners, and community representatives. During the interviews, stakeholders were asked what the SIH means to them, their goals and visions for the SIH’s future, as well their concerns and any threats they perceive. (see Appendix for a list of interviewed stakeholders). What the Panel Heard: Themes
Several themes emerged from the stakeholder interviews, with the consensus being that the Smith Industrial Hub is unique to the downtown area and, in its current state as an old county island ad- jacent to the City’s burgeoning core, is ripe to take advantage of key redevelopment opportunities. Decisions should be made today to guide Smith’s future using strategies that help reach its poten- tial but not irrevocably harm its industrial integrity.
Among the themes are the following:
topic opportunities challenges what’s good now
General Urban Core Master Plan can provide Tempe is landlocked so need to be more Highway access, central location vision and focus redevelopment creative Arizona State University proximity More live, work, play options in the City Increasing homelessness and crime – Mixed demographics – youth, college “area can be sketchy at night” Solar on roofs students, families, seniors Missing sidewalks, drainage issues that Relatively clean and crime isn’t too cause flooding and poor lighting bad comparatively Area is modernizing slower than anticipated
Land Use Residential is on periphery but could add Land use mix in the SIH comprises Redevelopment along Rio Salado and at scale in the SIH primarily auto dependent with some freight University Infill and adaptive reuse Guiding the evolution of an old industrial corridor to an innovation hub Add grocery in safe walking distance If industrial uses move, where in the City Focus on a spotlight project to leverage would they go Convert rundown properties to small Without vision and plan, the area will be accessible businesses piece-mealed More retail within the hub to service the Maintaining scale when adding uses to businesses prevent high rises Minimize / isolate automotive users Lots were overbuilt with 35% coverage -identify an area for auto The City seems to favor larger Increase allowable density / height / developments uses – will add value for employers and investors Shorten entitlement and ease approval processes Both clean/light industrial and residential coexisting in the SIH Add “flavor” with maybe a bar, coffee shop, and food options for existing and future users 11 topic opportunities challenges what’s good now
Economy Incentivize owners to invest in building Homeless problem extending into SIH and City economy and job growth strong improvements disrupting sidewalks SIH has functioning economy More Circuit type of users can be Lack of available space in SIH for The area is not abandoned attracted to the area business expansion SIH is affordable now compared to Old industrial changing to office users Building configurations do not align with other areas in City the current market needs Fiber/data centers, clean manufacturing, Convenient location for business’s tech users Land assemblage clients More retail businesses, multifamily, maybe Attract new users willing to improve Amenities of Tempe Marketplace even hotels buildings without a direct impact on maintaining affordability City is paying attention to the area Better interact with ASU, tech centers and Sky Song - “Sky Song, Jr.” could occur SIH needs a kinetic synergy - current in SIH businesses are not integrated Work with neighbors to assemble Most owners are not looking ahead 25 properties for sale years or thinking about vertical More financial incentives for business Art requirements limiting property owners retention and expansion making improvements to properties due to financial constraints and being out of More City-led initiatives to help startups proportion Focus on perimeter of the hub with improvements
Transporta- Streetcar extensions to Riverview Mesa Net importer of people for jobs causing City was an early adopter of transit; congestion; most trips not originating in leads the region New Orbit routes tion transit Light rail, Modern Streetcar, free Orbit Rental bikes and scooters Travel time to the airport has increased bus More complete streets and bike lane immensely, taking 30 minutes to get to the Traffic to the freeway is not terrible connectivity highway outside of peak hours More walkability, friendly landscaping Lighting and sidewalk interruptions paths and completed sidewalks Not wanting to disrupt a business to Encourage cultural shift from being car acquire ROW centric Need more transportation options within Better understanding what amount of the SIH transportation changes to anticipate as Lack of streets within the SIH contributes businesses and land uses change to traffic pattern issues TDM programs for new development and Perry Lane is in dire need of improvements employer participation solutions Exit at McClintock only allows for A true east/west route through the hub westbound access and Price is only one connecting McClintock to Price could lane change the flow and activity Rockford Dr. – there are 5 lanes on the north side southbound, but only one northbound lane out of Rockford. There are arrows where there are no turn lanes Same intersection has been torn up and reconstructed three times
Housing Affordable Housing Strategy Gap for low income housing in City Developed baseline housing inventory to better know what is needed Reduced auto use provides creative Inclusionary zoning is prohibited in housing solutions Arizona communities Upgrade housing to push more Better understand what social services commercial needed Scalable housing in the SIH Housing options between University and Apache are substandard
12 Renovated Chasse Building Team offices in the Smith Industrial Innovation Hub
13 Panel Discussion
Overview
The Smith Innovation Hub (SIH) was the catalyst for engaging ULI Arizona for assistance. The City of Tempe desired market-based input from development experts to examine how to move forward diversifying the SIH economy, supporting a stronger sense of place, and complementing its functioning industrial economy and important mix of existing businesses. A ULI panel of eight multi-disciplinary industry thought-leaders met with City officials and stakeholders on April 5, 2019 and discussed ideas aimed at enhancing the redevelopment potential for the SIH. This summary report outlines the various strategies that were discussed during the AzTAP to help the City lay the groundwork for guiding a vibrant, sustainable SIH and urban core area. As the City and its partners make decisions about how to invest in the short and long term, the ensuing AzTAP findings and ideas are available to help guide achievable next steps. “The Smith Innovation Hub is not broken. It is Planning & Design…Enhancing the “Place” a functioning industrial area. However, if it is Tempe is in the heart of the metro area and is known for taking a lead to tackle “big, gnarly left unguided without visions” through strong political will, community dedication, and action. The Rio Salado and Mill Avenue redevelopment were massive undertakings and they demonstrate how rewards can be a vision in a rapidly achieved for thinking big and staying the course. urbanizing downtown environment, it’s As the urban core area of Tempe continues to grow, the SIH represents a desirable opportunity for redevelopment. It’s inevitable that growth and change will happen, so the City should plan for possible it might go in it and distinguish the character of growth to be different in Smith. The ULI panel synthesized the undesirable directions. following ideas to help curate a placemaking framework for the Smith Innovation Hub. Yet with an out-of-the- box, creative vision and purposeful actions, the Define what is working and what’s at risk SIH is likely to retain its As an old County island, the Smith Hub is an organically evolving area with a range of integrity and maximize manufacturing, light industrial, office, and retail businesses. Map what the key assets and its potential as an elements of the SIH currently are to set forth the appropriate actions to honor what is here incredible place.” against what could be in 20 years.
14 • “Keep the grit.” Redevelopment support a specialized workforce and creative “Good neighborhoods strategies should build on the eclectic, economy. There is some concern for industrial comprise mixed use, industrial atmosphere, and distinguish getting priced out, but with strong vision and mixed demographics, Smith’s style of growth with that which the use of creative land use planning tools, and mixed income.” is taking place in nearby Novus and the City will be able to guide a sustainable Lakeside. “Smith’s authenticity can’t be balance of uses. faked”, and opportunities will be missed if • Get the right City policies and tools in too much is demolished and scraped. place now. Parking lots and drive-thru • Prioritize where to focus first. There commercial projects are lost opportunities are clear delineations between obsolete to build on the good bones in the products and those with obvious value to Smith. The City needs to act fast to get focus where to prioritize actions first. The the guiding planning tools in place to northern quadrant of the hub connected prevent future repeats. Mixed use does to Rio Salado and the entrance from not necessarily mean vertically mixed. McClintock were noted by the panel as Allowing a horizontal mix of uses in Smith priorities. will be effective. • Create an inventory of opportunity • Do not overly prescribe. Be careful with sites. Evaluate the building stock that can codes so that it doesn’t feel like an HOA be adapted, i.e. Precision Fleet, and have because that’s not innovation and “the a ready list, including some analysis of flavor will be lost”. Consider form base or which do not make financial sense for the hybrid zoning and developing a specific future. overlay plan with design guidelines for the areas of development focus. By not • Pay attention to scale and fit. trying to anticipate every type of situation, Proportionality is well-established in the quality buildings at the right locations will SIH. It will be important to distinguish define a public realm, allowing uses to a growth context for Smith that will change over time. not overwhelm the streetscape and irrevocably damage its character. • Understand functional obsolesce over Otherwise there will be economic time. Per scale, the parking at the Circuit incentives to bulldoze as opposed to is huge and probably an overabundance. adaptively reuse. With 1-story buildings Start thinking about the next use for now, the panel suggested 3-5 stories as a parking space as automobile dependency near term target for height and to carefully decreases. In the Phoenix Warehouse manage land assembly and discourage District, some businesses already have no redevelopment into large super-blocks parking. and drive-thru projects.
Add a mix of compatible uses
The SIH is currently zoned industrial which does not allow higher density users. As the downtown area grows, there is a need to keep light industrial in the SIH but allow some mixture of uses and the integration of small-scale residential. Future manufacturing is cleaner and more sustainable and the demand for industrial land near academic institutions is valuable, especially to knowledge manufacturers. Facilitating a dynamic mix of residential and commercial in urban industrial zones is important to
15 Artspace (Mesa)
OVERVIEW Artspace began working with the Mesa community in 2012 to explore the feasibility of an Artspace live/work project, due to strong local momentum for the arts as a strategy for downtown development. Over a six month period, Artspace and local partners conducted five community meetings and launched a city-wide arts market survey (which received feedback from more than 660 artists). What emerged through the six ARCHITECT OPENED 2018 month community-inspired Architectural Resource Team ESTIMATED PROJECT COST process, and collaboration with $15.8 million the city were many of the ideas DEVELOPMENT PARTNER Neighborhood Economic that informed plans for the Mesa LIVE/WORK SPACE Artspace Lofts. Development Corporation (NEDCO) 50 units In operation since the Summer of 2018, the Mesa Artspace FUNDERS GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL Lofts includes 50 units of live/ Predevelopment support - JP SPACE work space for artists and Morgan Chase and Local 1,450 square feet their families. Unit rents serve Initiatives Support Corporation COMMUNITY SPACE households below 60% of area (LISC) median income levels. 2,900 square feet
• Integrate more public facing uses. The • Support artist living spaces. Mixed existing building types and production income, mix use, live/work artist lofts can businesses should be balanced with help alleviate the shortage of affordable more public facing uses, like retail and housing, and tailor to the special needs food production, with a better relationship of artists and their integration into an to streets and sidewalks. evolving economy. Mesa Artspace Lofts • Add tactical infill residential and a mix • Incentivize adaptive reuse. Encourage of essential services. The integration the market to keep identified cool of carefully designed, smaller-scale industrial buildings and evolve them “Need the best of the housing and mixed-use projects in Smith into new uses for office, commercial, best working and living will help meet rising housing demand and maker spaces. Some businesses in Smith.” and increase street life, foot traffic, and in Smith are outgrowing their space so vibrancy in the hub. However, the area opportunities will come. The Circuit is currently a food desert, so there is also successfully replaced roll up doors with a need to make grocery, health centers, glass doors and is now office space. and parks easily accessible for new residential products to work.
16 Curate a creative experience and Explore a more interesting, memorable vibe name and promote distinctive identify through place branding actions –visuals, The SIH embodies a uniquely local and design, and programming that will give evolving spirit with potential to expand an people an expectation of the place. experiential, artisanal vibe. “Creativity is cool” • Maintain the unexpected mystique. and takes many forms whether it be design The identity will form as placemaking driven in architecture, art, or murals inspiring takes shape. Be as diligent as possible public spaces, or unique culinary concepts in to protect the authentic maker charm to restaurants. The SIH has the potential to be a ensure it doesn’t turn into “just another great “discovered” neighborhood that extends highly designed destination”. the downtown experience. • Focus on cool buildings. The 60’s style • Focus on a “maker” signature buildings with barrel roofs should be market. Maker cultures are inherent in leveraged to create an “assembly of cool” manufacturing, industrial areas and when with themes incorporated into design incubated as the signature market they standards. There are great national bring life and an expressive context for a examples of adapting buildings like these place. Makers and creators already exist (i.e. Precision Fleet) into amazing food in Smith, so they should be leveraged for halls or marketplaces to prioritize the local their creative economic potential. food economy and develop an anchor. • Rename/ brand the hub. “Smith The Precision space also has extra Industrial Hub” is not likely the name that acreage for food trucks. ULI Cultivating supports the preferred brand in the future. Development
ULI Cultivating Development New food halls are being constructed in city centers and accommodate a mix of traditional vendors and new food entrepreneurs.
THE PACKING HOUSE ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA A public/private partnership catalyzes downtown development through a focus on local food
LESSONS • Effective partnerships among the public sector, private developers, and local food-oriented entrepreneurs can result in the creation of unique spaces that reflect the culture of the QUICK FACTS surrounding area. • A food hall with a variety of local vendors can Location 440 South Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim, generate placemaking benefits that catalyze CA 92805 Project type Food hall Development team new development in the surrounding area. City of Anaheim, LAB Holding Project cost $11.7 • Food halls can facilitate opportunities to million Project size 42,000 square feet (3,902 sq m); support budding food-based entrepreneurs by one-acre (0.4 ha) land area Project status Opened creating programs and spaces that train people in 2014 Financing Anaheim Redevelopment Agency, in the culinary arts and support the expansion HUD funding for seismic retrofit, tenant/citypaid of area food businesses. improvements.
17 ULI Creative Placemaking Principles
Begin with the end in mind. Envision culinary art school. on reducing crime or providing more what you would like to see—such Engage local artists. Find and recruit activities for youth and seniors, while as artfully designed buildings, an artists in the local community, developers may need to quantify inclusive community, gathering including visual artists, performing the project’s impact on accelerating places that promote health—but also artists, poets, writers, musicians, lease-ups or reducing project costs. what you do not want to see, such as designers, chefs, and other creative Form cross-sector partnerships, displacement of existing residents, types. Engaging local artists will help including artists, community lack of diversity, or exclusionary build buy-in. It is hoped there will members, and public- and private- housing. Be clear about motivation be no need to find talent elsewhere. sector organizations. Having local and goals, then engage the right The Macon Arts Alliance learned this community organizations engaged players to think outside of the box hard lesson after bringing artists is key along with the involvement of to achieve those goals. Set no limits from outside the state to Mill Hill local government, philanthropy, and on the possibilities for combining for an art initiative. It created an other nonprofit partners. The Mill Hill art and culture with the built atmosphere of distrust, leading the Arts project had a variety of local, environment. For example, New York alliance to rescind its action and state, and federal partners, including City’s Sugar Hill Children’s Museum rebuild the relationship. Consult the Macon Arts Alliance, the Urban in Harlem broke with convention local arts organizations and local Development Authority, Macon– by being the first art museum in an and state government art councils Bibb County, local hospitals, the affordable housing complex. to find local artists. For example, White House Strong Cities Strong Bring in artists and the community in the Washington, D.C., metro Communities initiative, the National early. Timing is everything. Art and area, the Washington Project for Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the culture need to be central to the the Arts (WPA) is a nonprofit group Knight Foundation, and others. project’s design. Early engagement dedicated to promoting the careers Identify the critical skills needed of these essential resources will of artists and boasts a membership to deliver on project goals and facilitate a project that is well of thousands of local artists. Local outcomes. In addition to the skills designed and inclusive and that art councils include the District provided by designers, architects, meets the needs of the larger of Columbia Commission on Arts and artists, what other skills are community and Humanities, the Arts and needed? Collaboration is critical to “Mine” local art and cultural assets. Humanities Council of Montgomery the success of a project. Identify Understand what jewels exist in the County (Maryland), and the Virginia which skills are needed, match community. Creative placemaking Commission for the Arts. needs to the people within the group works best when it is used to amplify Understand and articulate who have the necessary skills, and local community assets, fostering stakeholder benefits.Explore how identify gaps that need to be met a sense of pride. Learn about the art and culture can contribute to by recruiting new team members community’s history and aspirations. both the social and economic vitality with new skills. Also make teams Practice radical listening—meaning, of a project. Be prepared to discuss intergenerational by including youth keep a laser focus on one of author benefits from various points of and senior members. Your project Stephen Covey’s “seven habits:” seek view. Focus on community-driven team should reflect the inclusive first to understand. For instance, outcomes and what is meaningful nature of the project vision and the Mill Hill arts village in Macon, to locals, but also focus on the hard goals. Georgia, learned after its cultural- facts needed to sell the project to Look for early wins to generate asset mapping that many residents private-sector investors and others. excitement, visibility, and buy-in. like to cook. So, its new art center in For example, the community may For example, use pop-ups to draw the renovated auditorium will have a be interested in the project’s impact people in and community gatherings
18 to gain engagement. A good programs on an ongoing basis. “Build a community example is the Hall in the Tenderloin Pursue creative financing.Where – start calling it a community of San Francisco. This there is a will, there is a way. neighborhood.” pop-up culinary art project provides Money can come from unforeseen, stalls for six food vendors, a bar, and unexpected places. Bethlehem Steel free meeting space for local nonprofit Stacks, the site of a former steel groups, while the developer awaits mill in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, entitlement to build a mixed-use retail transformed into a sprawling art and residential project with affordable center, was funded through revenues housing on that site. from the local casino, which is also Maintain a long view. Don’t stop when on the site of the old mill. Funding the goals of the built environment for the Harlem Sugar Hill affordable are met. Consider programming housing and museum complex in that keeps the community this New York City neighborhood engaged and the place alive and was pieced together from 13 funding exciting. Monroe Street Market in sources, including private lenders, Northeast Washington, D.C., a $250 philanthropy, low-income housing million mixed-use transit-oriented tax credits, HOME funds, and new development, engaged a nonprofit markets tax credits. If your vision is arts organization, CulturalDC, to the right one, for the right reasons, manage its arts walk and relationship with appropriate stakeholder benefits, with artists in its 27 affordable artist the money will come. Persevere. studios on the ground floor of two https://americas.uli.org/wp-content/ buildings in its complex. CulturalDC, uploads/sites/2/ULI-Documents/ULI- with local nonprofit Dance Place, Creative-Placemaking-Brochure-3.pdf supports Third Thursdays open artists’ studios, dance, and other
19 • Recognize that the buildings do not • Focus on the connective tissue of have to physically be cool to end up public places - walkable streets, open cool. Some of the most successful space, “street parks”, and activated examples of modern creative places did gathering spaces. not start out with inherently cool building • Create a welcoming physical stock. The monOrchid, Lux Central, and environment. Currently, the barbed wire Angels Trumpet Ale House buildings in gives the appearance that the area is Phoenix were not originally cool buildings. rough and not safe. They became cool through art, creative placemaking and activation. The Circuit • Add placemaking infrastructure. Public added color and it was a big, noticeable space, continuous, detached sidewalks; improvement. lighting; shade structures and trees; comfortable, inviting seating areas; • Add art. Art is low hanging fruit. But be landscaping; and programmed open careful of the City being the arbitrator of space and building facades should all be what art is cool. Art that is mandated is a focus. frequently boring because it doesn’t just come out. If its art that is not wanted • Get people out and moving. Look “Visitors to the region and it is just being provided as part of a for opportunities to get people outside often ask – ‘where are City requirement, then it is often better to of their business and moving around the people’? ‘They encourage donations to the local art fund. to connect to other local operators to Art procures good return on investment in inspire more creatives and makers in the park right by their hub. Bollinger Atelier is an international work and don’t walk’.” projects, so paying artists what they are worth is very important. art foundry and fabricator who has employees living in the creative Artspace Activate public life in Mesa, but they drive into Smith and bring their lunch. They are imaginative The future brand of Smith will be reinforced people who could be area champions by adding welcoming gathering spots that inspiring more artistic happenings, if they encourage small-scale activities and weaving had other reasons to do so in Smith. in the creative in-between spaces that • Increase options and destinations. facilitate “just by chance” encounters. “Community” will be enhanced with
20 food options, pedestrian connections, now. The challenge will be figuring out pocket parks, and destinations that are where it should go, and being visionary “an appropriate radius” for people to offering new products, like artisan, live/ “The concept with an comfortably walk 10 minutes or ¼ mile. work, townhome/brownstones, “missing Innovation Corridor is middle”, and attainable options. Think that things will change • Extend evening and weekend about whether some of the existing and there will be some opportunities. Currently people do not stay in Smith after the end of the workday. buildings could be adapted to residential mess with innovation.” For residential and retail to survive, it is use. Efforts are underway to bring artists essential to add reasons for people to live/work units to Tempe within a couple remain at night and on weekends. of miles of the SIH, which is a great opportunity to leverage getting more • Activate a food truck hub. Spinato’s creatives in the hub. Housing south of Pizza is a great asset with a strong university is dated with higher vacancy presence in the community. Partner so this could also be a focus area in with them to help activate a food truck the near-term if accompanied by robust assembly nearby – perhaps in a location connectivity. with excess supply of parking. • Focus on creative workplaces. If you • Think about how parking is managed. have cool workspaces then people want When parking is reduced or eliminated to be there. Currently a lot of multi-tenant near buildings through shared lots, building are occupied by single tenants. people are automatically integrated in the Encourage owners to connect. Start streetscape and public life of an area. thinking about changing City regulations to incorporate new pre-engineered and metal buildings and how their form fits in Building Market Potential the hub. The workplace of the future is less about production because flexibility Light industrial uses serve the SIH economic drives innovation. Think about what engine and will for the foreseeable future. businesses want out of space – low However, as a single use district, it will not cost, startup options. Use workforce achieve its future potential. The challenge development to assist with workplace will be careful integration of complementary “innovation” – research is showing that uses to support new businesses, living, and creativity in workplaces can be learned. retail offerings. Without residential, the SIH will Art Stable Live Work, Seattle. likely perpetuate a drive-through market not • Employ proportional rehab indicative of more authentic experiences. policies. City policies should support proportionality and scale - the • Evaluate the existing market. Use improvements required should scale market studies to ensure an appropriate to the need/specific project to facilitate amount of commercial and residential and affordable redevelopment. what percentage of industrial should be preserved (and the type). • Assist with plug and play. For smaller concentrated uses, the more turnkey the • Focus on the detractors. Small light better. industrial that is functioning and bringing value is not a focus. Pay attention to the • Promote maker pop ups. Activate public submarket uses that are bringing the area or private space with pop-up style events down – scrap, junkyard, etc. Encourage and programming. A well-programmed Sofie Lofts, San Diego. clean up and the market will dictate who pop-up space would begin to establish a stays. focal point through color, materials, or art; build local awareness and presence; and • Differentiate residential here. Adding encourage would-be entrepreneurs to test “Time kills deals both residential should be context sensitive ideas in the marketplace. as a seller and a buyer.” and will likely require more smaller- grained options than what is more • Facilitate paradigm shifts. Understand typical in the Tempe residential market that innovation is going past businesses
21 The Making of a “Makerhood” (Weho, Nashville)
In the heart of Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston Area, also known as WeHo, was once an industrial medium industrial neighborhood, a place that manufactured everything from socks to sausages to early Beatles records. Today WeHo remains a place that fixes things in custom high-value products and technology. And today the area has morphed into what some locals call a “makerhood”, where there is a mix of 21st century creative businesses, small-scale, high value manufacturing and maker spaces for artists and craftspeople, who have become the driving force. (https:// urbanland.uli.org/development-business/the- making-of-a-makerhood/)
to new mindsets – flexible work hours, what might be sourced here to connect collaboration that extends outside of more opportunities. A lot of startups want buildings, etc. to be in Smith now with affordable space and grow to bigger markets. Encourage • Focus on branding. Invest in site improvements, wayfinding, and branding neighbors to talk to new businesses to to advance an economic development let them know how much they would be strategy. Reinforcing attractive desired in Smith. landscapes, signs, and branding along • Be flexible / don’t be too strict. The corridors will help direct people to vision needs to be very clear to guide the Smith Hub. Don’t be too literal in development in a thoughtful manner branding and belabor the use of the yet using a flexible framework in codes term “Innovation”. “Maybe Smith evolves and policies. This will allow the City into Tempe’s arts district”. “Find the to experiment with new ideas and “not jewels to assist in naming - the Social necessarily deciding everything today”. Hall mural ‘Get Together Tempe’ nails It will be important to include a 10-year “Need long eyes to it”. Investors in the metro area always evolution as part of the plan to keep pace ask the commercial brokers where the with improved market and changing support the investment warehouse districts are – Smith could be conditions. Good codes are the in the Tempe Streetcar that district for Tempe. Other strategies foundation for getting the development include continuing to invest in pedestrian desired. Incentivize mixed-use in system.” improvements to enhance walkability and strategic locations, such as increased investing in public art to designate arrival densities, and accelerated application at a “place.” processing, and establish triggers for achieving market benchmarks. • Promote to the broader community and region. Educate who is in Smith and
22 The 78 Chicago
The 78 is a 62-acre blank canvas in downtown 1. Chicago soul Chicago bordered by Clark Street, Roosevelt Road, 2. Design what’s next 16th Street and the Chicago River. The 78 will set a new standard for mixed-use developments. 3. The melting pot Drawing inspiration from local surroundings, 4. Rocks, pebbles, and rocks the art, architecture and design elements of The made of pebbles 78 will establish a powerful sense of place and 5. Chicago’s happy hour belonging. Key to this vision is the incorporation of the Chicago River, which is showcased in a 6. Healthy, happy, and local half-mile riverfront experience connecting to the 7. Welcome winter existing Chicago Riverwalk and on par with the 8. Nurture community greatest urban waterfronts of the world – all while featuring undeniable “Chicago Soul” The project 9. Cultivate curiosity is rooted in 10 guiding principles that will guide 10. Authentic authenticity a place appropriate, progressive, successful and everlasting (http://78chicago.com/)
Transportation and Connectivity connection between spaces. People are “Creativity and walking in the landscape swales in Rio innovation will be Enhance connectivity 100 now. reinforced when • Focus on the edges and streetscapes. residents and visitors A growing concern in the City of Tempe McClintock and Perry feel ambiguous (and the region) is traffic and congestion. can move around and are not welcoming. They should Tempe is a net importer of people during and interact with the be improved to draw people into Smith. the day as more people drive in to work in chance encounters.” Real estate does a really good job of Tempe than live there. The wide band of assuming edges – don’t hardline the concentrated development that is expected edges. in the core will put stress on an already stressed transportation system, and there isn’t • Promote transit. New transit lines are a way to expand north-south routes because coming soon with the Tempe Street Car of the river. Therefore, the City is actively extension along Rio Salado and additional working to address transportation issues free Orbit bus routes are planned to through stronger connectivity and alternative serve the SIH, so be creative with modes like the new Streetcar. It’s also ever strategies now to encourage ridership more important to focus on movement within and promote transit-oriented development neighborhoods like Smith. There is no solution to encourage less car usage. New and that is a magic bullet, so move forward with a future workforce generations are less car multi-prong approach. dependent. Be conscious of headwinds that are too long – 30 minutes from the • Consider micro-blocks. Establish 4 Tempe Transportation Center to Tempe walkable quadrants that add to the Marketplace are too long. existing fine-grained grid, eclectic block and building patterns with each offering • Add shade. Shaded structures and trees something unique and interesting. are among the most effective ways to encourage transit usage and walking and • Finish the sidewalks. Ensure a cohesive biking. 23 “Gridlock can be self- • Manage demand and congestion. • Consider a ferry system. Water taxis are healing – the culture The City is leading the way with its cool in other places and parking could be sometimes needs to Transportation Demand Management established on the north side of the lake be forced to develop (TDM) program to reduce vehicle to start “Hayden Ferry”. miles traveled (VMT) generated by alternatives.” • Use ROW differently. Leverage right-of- new development projects. The City way (ROW) to create linear parks, “street is encouraged to work with developers parks” and add shade, perhaps on Perry to provide more on-site amenities Lane and Smith since they need to be and employers to offer modified work improved anyway. Even just adding a schedules and price parking. Some bench, places to sit, will help. In some employees are offering bikes and places, use ROW to narrow the streets scooters and new hub startup Oscar using a street park like Central and Health already has variable hours/shifts Adams Streets in Phoenix . for employees. The Tempe Transportation Team is researching transportation • Address alleys. Many area alleys are in management associations, like Movability disrepair. Think about ways to improve alleys or how they be used in other ways Austin http://movabilityaustin.org/ in Austin, TX. an organization of Central as more of an amenity. “People are falling Texas employers dedicated to connecting in love with alleys nowadays”. their employees with mobility options. • Program a parking district solution. A district can provide the City with • Promote carpool apps – an unfortunate consequence of the Uber/Lyft/Waymo mechanisms to devise and implement disruption to the transportation sector parking management solutions as the is they are making congestion worse, Smith grows and changes over time. although they do help reduce parking. While regulatory options are limited, there are opportunities to work with them Finance and Incentives to focus on last mile connectivity and to Once you have the messaging and planning promote rideshare apps to crowdsource and zoning policies, the key to success is commutes. Tempe is applauded for through investment and bringing in capital. leading the region in the creation of local The best role for the City is to lead with a clear Chophouse Row in Seattle, WA. apps that will be available to connect vision, have flexible oversight, invest in the Pedestrian alley—carved out of the ridesharing opportunities soon. auto parts structure. place, and be ready for partnerships. • Improve circulation. Direct traffic so • Lead with vision and incentives. The that some of the streets better function market wants to know that the City has for trucks, and others more focused a plan and is going to commit. Develop for pedestrians and bicycles. The the vision for Smith and integrate into construction of a bike boulevard along the Urban Core Master Plan. The City Smith in a few years will be a valuable can encourage desired uses through improvement. incentives and clearing roadblocks - not “River and nature – • Connect to the water. The Rio Salado just money, time motivates the market it’s human nature to is one of the region’s most impressive too. It’s not financially feasible to expect want to be near and destinations. With its proximity, the Smith a developer to wait 9 months for a zoning connect to it.” should better connect to this asset. It can hearing. be unclear how to navigate there walking • Update land use policies to leverage or running from hotels in the Smith so Opportunity Zone. There are over 200 better signage identifying the routes is Opportunity Zone (OZ) funds in the region important. Tempe Marketplace can be a aggressively looking at projects. GID connectivity barrier but is private property zoning in Smith might discourage funds so find creative ways to partner with them from looking at Smith as closely as they on solutions. should. The location of Smith for an OZ
24 designation is ideal, but the City needs Priorities and Next Steps to change the General Plan Land Use Map to allow additional uses and work • Emphasize community engagement / “The City has to be collaboratively with owners to rezone to neighborhood building. The #1 strategy activists upstream as clear the way for entitlements to meet should be to honor the community and much as developers the tight program timeframes. Don’t just listen to what they want Smith to be with have to be activists sit on the designation, but rather form a a stronger sense of place. Learn from downstream.” prospectus of the improvements desired the people which buildings are important that can be included as trade-offs for land and what element of Smith make them assemblage and reducing the regulatory proud. Find more creative ways to burden. See LISC’s new OZ Playbook engage people and businesses, owners, for community partners as a good owner-users, and tenants in the SIH. A resource tool. lot of properties are leased so when they • Look for creative solutions for get notices about community meetings, affordable housing. The region can’t they aren’t compelled to participate. rely solely on the Arizona Department of Help them understand their stake in the Housing Low Income Tax Credits (LIHTC) place as a neighborhood stakeholder. If because there simply is not enough the neighborhood could do a statement funding for the needs. The Phoenix project somewhere in the hub that was Community Alliance is developing an born of their thoughts that could galvanize affordable housing fund through voluntary people to do more. Perhaps a group like fees on closing transactions in Phoenix. the Downtown Voices collaborative would be effective here. • Offer incentives to support affordabilty. The City is applauded for being proactive • Allow Mixed Use. General industrial with an affordable housing strategy, zoning is not going to accomplish goals developing a baseline and performance for innovation and vibrancy in Smith. It goals. Often a major impediment to puts investment in the Opportunity Zone small scale multi-family development is at risk, and sets a stage for undesirable securing the necessary approvals and projects to sneak in. Support the vision entitlements because time and complexity by adding more uses to the General Plan affect rental rates. Streamlining and Land Use Map for the area and manage helping applicants navigate the regulatory use mix through zoning and design environment can incentivize the types of guidelines. development projects that are wanted • Activate a food truck hub to attract and supported by the neighborhood. people. People will get to know Smith
Phoenix Downtown Voices Coalition
In 2004, a group of ninety downtown in a comprehensive document, “Downtown stakeholders, including residents, Voices: Creating a Sustainable Downtown.” business owners, property owners, and The Coalition is let by a steering committee community-based organizations met to to oversee the work of subcommittees, keep discuss downtown planning and the effect the organization “humming,” and evaluate of future development efforts on their its progress. The group always welcomes neighborhoods, businesses, and quality of people to join in the discussion. (https:// life. The outcome of the discussion resulted downtownvoices.org/)
25 Social Spark (San Francisco)
Social Spark, a new urban the spirit of community gathering space located by creating warm and in the heart of Mission welcoming spaces to eat Bay, is a food truck park, and gather. It works with beer/sangria garden, and more than 150 food trucks event space designed to from all over the Bay Area bring the neighborhood that are rotated every day together for fun times, day for both lunch and dinner. or night. It collaborates with (http://sparksocialsf.com) small businesses to ignite
through events and programming - food to come from the City. The City already trucks, art walks farmers markets, bike leads with creative finance and public- festivals, etc. Temporary but high-impact private solutions on the Modern Streetcar. spaces focused on food, culture, arts, • Engage partners. Tempe Marketplaces’ and “Instagram-able” moments will shape backdoor is Smith’s front door. Ask community experience and start creating them to be a partner to help with art an identity before one really exists. and activation of the SIH. Consider a • Focus on fine-grained improvements community development corporation and connectivity. Streets, sidewalks, (CDC) to support revitalization efforts. shade, green, and adding lights, LISC Phoenix provides financing, especially at entrances off Smith and operating grants and training programs Perry. Reroute heavy trucks to routes that to help start and build capacity of local make sense. CDCs http://www.liscphoenix.org/. • Invest in placemaking infrastructure. Tempe is in enviable position with a strong Develop a prioritization plan to help focus. economy and has a robust and growing Encourage neighbors to apply for grants. transportation system. As the City finetunes Removing and painting walls are low a master plan for development in the urban hanging fruit actions. core, the Smith Innovation Hub should be an integral piece of the overall strategy. Focus • Concentrate on place-branding. on this gritty “neighborhood” by honoring its • Light fire through art.Murals on walls, deep roots as a working industrial economy especially facing Rio Salado. evolving to a creative place for people to live • Concentrate on context sensitive and explore, truly offering something different housing and adaptive reuse. Focus on than elsewhere in the City. If the City leads buildings worth saving and potential for with a big, gnarly vision and commits to reinvestment and small users/tenants and incentivize some key demonstration projects, identify a project to get done. the necessary public-private-nonprofit partners will be there to help bring about • Find money, partners and fight for more Smith’s success. transit options sooner. It doesn’t all have
26 Small-Scale Multifamily Residential Example (Oslo, Washington, DC)
Oslo is a nine-unit multifamily rental apartment development on a central-city infill site in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The project has been positioned to appeal to recent college graduates and millennials who want to share a large apartment as a preferable and cost-effective alternative to renting a studio or one-bedroom unit. The building offers three unitsAdd with photos three (for bedrooms “concentrate and six units with four bedrooms,on context with sensitive typical housing unit sizes ranging from 970 squareand adaptivefeet to 1,410 reuse square feet. The 5,520-square-foot site when acquired consisted of an old, obsolete, nonhistoric nine-unit brick apartment building that covered the front half of the midblock site; the back half was used as open space and parking. Although located in the middle of the city block, the original building had eight-foot setbacks. This was an attractive feature that allowed Ditto to develop a building that capitalized on natural light by placing windows on all four sides of the structure. The walkability of the neighborhood and its location one block from the Shaw Metro station and about a 12-minute walk from downtown D.C. were two additional appealing features of the site. At the time of the property acquisition, Shaw was already seeing rising land values and a good deal of new development, so Ditto Residential was not a pioneer when it entered this the number of units and not the square footage, the market. designers used the shared housing concept to create The objective of the design was to create a high-design, a building with large units of three and four bedrooms transformative residential building that provides young that was highly marketable to millennials. Large units professionals a great living experience at a reasonable like this would likely not have been marketable if not cost via a shared living concept. The zoning on the positioned as shared living units. site supported this objective and the shared housing https://casestudies.uli.org/oslo-washington-dc/ concept: since the zoning requirements focused on
27 About the Panel
Mark Bauer Managing Director and Co-Leader, JLL Global Data Center Solutions Mark Bauer is a Managing Director and Co-Leader with JLL’s global Data Center Solutions group that focuses on global representation providing real estate planning and execution of mission- critical data center relocations and expansions. With unmatched experience and knowledge in the growing multi-tenant data center environments (colocation and wholesale colocation), Mr. Bauer provides clients with strategic and tactical guidance and representation to meet investment, acquisition, leasing and development objectives. Involved in commercial real estate for over 29 years, Mr. Bauer has specialized in the data center and colocation industry for the past two decades. Advisor to tenants, landlords, buyers and sellers, he also serves as a national consultant to brokers, clients and data center developers across the United States. His experience includes in-depth knowledge of the data center and telecommunications industries that assists clients with their mission-critical deployments of primary and disaster recovery data center needs. He has negotiated over $2.5 billion in total transaction consideration, over 20 million square feet of total transactions.
Terry Benelli Executive Director, LISC Phoenix Terry Benelli, Executive Director of LISC Phoenix, believes comprehensive community development is not possible without targeted investments. She is dedicated to ensuring residents of marginalized neighborhoods acquire assets they desire for upward mobility — jobs, safe and stable housing and communities designed to promote health. LISC Phoenix makes capital investments with an equitable lens. In 2017, LISC Phoenix invested $24 million that leveraged an additional $112 million. Terry oversees the community development operation in Phoenix and Honolulu. She previously held the position of City Councilperson in Mesa, AZ. She is currently the Chairperson of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Community Advisory Council, a Member of the Boards of Artspace Minneapolis, Minnesota and Arizona Advisory Board for U.S. Bank, and the Finance Chair of the MIHS Governing Council.
Doug Craig, PLA, ASLA Vice President, RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture With 30 years of experience in landscape architecture and planning, Doug has been involved in a variety of private and public sector projects including healthcare, higher education and corporate campuses, retail/shopping centers, mixed-use, resort/hospitality facilities and recreation and community parks. He is experienced in the design of large residential master planned communities including community theming and branding.
28 Steve Lindley Executive Director – Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield Steve Lindley works in the Capital Markets group for Cushman & Wakefield, representing sophisticated national and regional investor clients in acquisitions, dispositions, financing and development of office, industrial and mixed-use properties in Arizona. He has 29 years of experience, with sales completed totaling $2.5 billion. Prior to Cushman & Wakefield, Steve worked in the Capital Markets groups for national commercial real estate services companies including Grubb & Ellis, Trammell Crow, and Insignia/ESG. He brings Wall Street experience to his capital markets practice, working in the 1980’s at the New York City headquarters of investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert. Steve enjoys actively exploring and promoting ideas and issues facing cities and communities in Arizona and beyond, including the intersection between creativity and place. He has served on the Advisory Board for AIA Phoenix Metro and is a leader with Urban Land Institute Arizona, currently serving as chair of the ULI 2D community mural project. Steve is a San Diego native, and a graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in Finance. He is committee chair for Phoenix Metro Urban Young Life and is an Elder at Valley Presbyterian Church. Steve is married to his wonderful wife, Victoria, has two children, and enjoys great food, craft beer, exploring new places, and adventures with family and friends.
Kevin Olson Partner, Steptoe Kevin Olson has more than three decades of experience in providing corporate and transactional advice to companies on matters involving mergers and acquisitions, securities and corporate finance, and other commercial transactions. His practice emphasizes general corporate advice, mergers and acquisitions, securities and corporate finance, and other commercial transactions. In his role as outside general counsel, Kevin advises many clients about their day-to-day operations, including issues relating to product distribution, supplier contracts, customer contracts and executive employment arrangements. He also has assisted many clients in connection with their initial organization, advising them about their choice of entity, initial capitalization, and other organizational matters. Kevin serves as outside general counsel for leading Arizona businesses including Rockford Corporation, Community Medical Services, Westminster Village, Royal Oaks Retirement Community, and Friendship Village of Tempe. He has also represented businesses inside and outside Arizona, including Miraca USA, Alkaline Water Company, Aldila, and Rand Worldwide. Kevin has held various leadership positions with the State Bar of Arizona, Greater Phoenix Leadership, East Valley Partnership, and both the Phoenix and Tempe Chambers of Commerce. He has been named repeatedly as one of Arizona’s “Top Lawyers” by AzBusiness Magazine and Ranking Arizona. He received his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University, and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
29 Michael Pfeffer, AIA Vice President of Architecture, Related Midwest Michael Pfeffer, AIA, LEED AP, is Vice President of Architecture at Related Midwest, where he works directly with architecture and urban planning firms to oversee the design of the company’s two largest pipeline projects: The 78, a 62-acre, mixed-use neighborhood development in downtown Chicago, located at Clark Street and Roosevelt Road along the Chicago River, and 400 Lake Shore Drive, a residential development that will be located on the site of the former Chicago Spire project. Pfeffer joined Related Midwest in 2016 after spending more than 15 years at the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), where he served as Managing Director responsible for project design throughout Chicago, London, Asia and the South Pacific. During his time with the firm, Pfeffer worked in more than two dozen cities around the world, honing a global design perspective through large-scale mixed use, residential, office, and hospitality, as well as master plans. In 2014, Pfeffer received the AIA National Young Architect Award for exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the architecture profession during his career at SOM. Pfeffer has also been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business with the coveted “40 Under 40” distinction – highlighting 40 leaders under the age of 40 who are making an impact in Chicago. Pfeffer holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame and is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Urban Land Institute. In addition, he sits on the Board of Directors at Habitat for Humanity Chicago.
Mark Stratz Senior Vice President + City Leader, Transwestern Mark serves as Senior Vice President and City Leader for Transwestern Phoenix and is responsible for growing operations, elevating client services, attracting new talent and creating new business opportunities. Mark and his team specialize in agency and tenant representation in office properties for both existing and ground-up developments throughout the Metro Phoenix region. Before joining Transwestern in January 2018, Mark’s 20-year career spanned two separate and distinct markets in Seattle and Phoenix, where he developed a unique and highly diverse perspective on the marketplace. He most recently served as Director in the office group at Cushman & Wakefield in Phoenix. In his more than 12 years with the firm, clients praised his creative and entrepreneurial approach. Mark has represented both landlords and tenants, advised property owners in site selection and dispositions, negotiated joint ventures, and provided leasing advisory services and strategic planning across multiple asset types. Mark previously worked at CBRE. Mark is an Advisor for CitySpots LLC, serves on the City of Phoenix Innovation District steering committee and at the Phoenix Community Alliance. He is a member of the Phoenix Cluster of CEOs for Cities.
30 Alisa Timm Regional Director of Management, Ryan Companies Alisa brings 30 years of real estate experience to her role as Regional Director of Management for Ryan’s Southwest Region, and an extensive background in portfolio management, brokerage, business development and relationship building. As she focuses on the growth of Ryan’s REMportfolio and the cultivation of key relationships, she is responsible for the oversight of the team’s management and engineering professionals, mentoring and training, strategic planning and is a natural leader who embraces the fast pace and ever-changing environment of commercial real estate. A proven problem solver, she’s creatively strategic in finding the solutions that are right for the customer.
Manjula Vaz Member, Gammage & Burnham Manjula is a member in the zoning and land use planning and real estate areas of the firm. Her practice focuses on zoning-related services, including master planned zoning approvals (specific plans, planned area developments, planned community developments), rezoning approvals, general plan amendments, variances, conditional and special use permits, zoning interpretations and violations, and zoning due diligence. In addition, Manjula assists clients with the negotiation and implementation of development agreements, GPLETs and other development-related agreements. She frequently appears before planning commissions and city councils on behalf of clients regarding zoning and development projects. Prior to attending law school, Manjula was a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Rep. John J. Rhodes III and chief of staff to Maricopa County Supervisor Tom Rawles (D-1). She is also a former member of the Tempe Planning Commission and currently serves on the Tempe Community Action Agency Board of Directors.
31 Appendix: Stakeholders Interviewed
A special thanks to Lynn and Gary Abramczyk with GMA Manufacturing for providing the Panelists a tour of the facility.
Thank You to the Stakeholders and City Officials who participated in pre-AzTAP interviews: • Robbie Aaron, Planner II, City of Tempe • Ambika Adhikari, Principal Planner, City of Tempe • Paul Bentley, Human Services Deputy Director, City of Tempe • Dan Colton, Designated Broker, Colton Commercial • Chris Finn, Owner, Precision Fleet • Mark James, CEO/President, MarTek, Inc. • Lavon Lamy, Human Services Manager, City of Tempe • Ryan Levesque, Community Development Deputy Director, City of Tempe • Marcus Newton, Owner, Printing Specialists • Kim Nicolaev, Director of Special Projects, Bollinger Atelier • Gabe Saia, Owner, Integrated Real Estate Services • Vanessa Spartan, Transportation Planner II, City of Tempe • Mike Wallis, Commercial Real Estate Services Commercial Broker, DAUM • Shauna Warner, Neighborhood Program Manager, City of Tempe • Chad Weaver, Community Development Director, City of Tempe • Robert Yabes, Transportation Principal Planner, City of Tempe
32 33 ULI Arizona Technical Assistance Panel
ULI Arizona 5090 North 40th Street, Suite 210 Phoenix, AZ 85018 Phone: 602.449.7920 arizona.uli.org